Dear Carol,

I am a P.E. teacher thinking about starting a running program in our school, grades K-8. I have figured the mileage around the gym and playground,1/4,1/2,and 1 mile routes. Eight times around the gym being a 1/4 mile.

I am thinking that in order for each student to keep track of their laps they would grab a rubber band from a basket each time they went around the gym and place it on their wrist. When they have eight accumulated they would then know their distance was a 1/4 mile. Sound practical to you?

I am also thinking that mileage could then be logged onto a 5x8 index card by the individual student. With each mile being designated with a foot sticker found at a local office supply store. At the end of the school year the foot stickers will be tallied and prizes awarded for different categories.

What do you think so far? Will wait the anticipation for your response.

Dear Lisa,

Your gym is about the size of our gym! It's 26 times around ours for a mile. I like the idea of your rubber band grab. I have used the 'pebble drop' outside. I'm going to let the kids try it. Before I run I pick up the same number of pebbles as the laps I plan on running and then I drop one each time I complete a lap. I read about this technique in Tim Erson's Courageous Pacers program.

I lose count very easily if I just try to count as I run. I decided that I needed to use something more than just counting when I was doing hill repeats one day.

I probably made myself do an extra one (ouch!) because I just wasn't sure of how many I had done. Did you find the foot stickers? You can use our log-a-mile charts. Eventually I'll make some new footprint charts where each footprint equals a shorter distance. Right now each footprint equals a mile.

Also the Feelin' Good Mileage Club sells the tiny plastic feet, commonly referred to as 'toe tokens'. You can find ordering information on our Resource Page. You can find some materials that might help you with your program on our Resourses Page. Good luck with your program.

Note from the kid's editor: Running is natural for young kids, but they still can use guidance when starting a running program.

Photo of Matthew Linde, RW, Carol Goodrow, KR, and Parker Morse, RW at Runner's World, Emmaus, PA, July 2000, by Melanie Strong, RW.

Do you have any questions about your child's running program? Feel free to email the kid's editor at rwedit@rodale.com.